HISTORIC MOMENT OF REDEMPTION
By H. Avedikian

AZG Armenian Daily
05/09/2008

Armenia-Turkey

Irrespective of the contents and both the possible and impossible
consequences, the visit of Turkish President Abdullah Gul to Yerevan
will be a historic one. None of the leaders of Turkey have ever visited
the First, the Second (Soviet) or the Third Republics of Armenia. None
of the sultans, pashas or other figures of the Ottoman Empire have
visited Eastern Armenia either. Instead, Turkey, especially in the
period of the First Republic of Armenia sent its armies to ruin,
conquer and impose ultimatums. And now….

Footbal, and sports in general, create special atmosphere for…. not
reflecting upon such unnatural historical and political facts. Such
opportunity, even in case of not being realized, lays no liabilities
upon the guest, and, of course, the host. "We went to support
our sportsmen". And that’s it. In that case sending a retaliatory
invitation to the host (Armenian President Serge Sarkisian in this
case) would be quite enough.

However in this case football and sports cannot become a potion
of oblivion for Turkey’s policy against Armenia over the past 17
years. Turkey has at least protocolary debts to Armenia. The first
two presidents of Armenia have visited Turkey for four times on
different occasions, and proved that it is not Armenia that suffers
from complexes. The heavy burden of the Genocide, the prolonged
blockade, Turkish ex-president Turgut Ozal’s "the accursed wedge"
expression about Armenia and even Turkey’s desire to throw "a couple
of bombs" on Armenia 1993 have ever hindered the Armenian leaders to
express their willfulness to establish normal relations with Turkey.

Ankara has always faked to be deaf and blind to Armenia’s initiative
and became the prisoner of Baku of free will.

For sure President Gul is not coming to Yerevan to pay his country’s
debts. The situation in the region has changed, and Ankara has
been left outside of the global processes in Caucasus. Turkey feels
necessary to undertake some initiative and become important again. And
the best stage for playing a constructive role is the Hrazdan Stadium
in Yerevan.

By now, Turkey has had many investments in Azerbaijan and Georgia,
and today they are in danger. They must be saved, and the Caucasian
Cooperation and Security Platfrom is to become their life jacket. The
initiative itself, with all its vulnerable spots and inconsistencies,
cannot bring forth any positive change unless it implies assuming
responsibility for the past crimes and real steps to amending the evil.

Shall Turkey have the political will to complete its initiatives? This
question will find an answer very soon.